Thursday, June 28, 2007

Our first 10 or so raspberries were ripe for picking yesterday! There are about twice as many ready today! There are SO many more that just aren't ready quite yet. For the next few weeks we will be in raspberry heaven. This is for those of you who want to plant a raspberry bush, but don't know how to take care of them. They really don't required as much work as you may think.

Thirteen Things About Raspberries

1. There are two categories of red raspberries. The common raspberry, which ripens in early to midsummer and the ever bearing raspberry. The ever bearing raspberry produces an early-summer crop on the old growth (previous season) and a fall crop on the new growth (current season).

2. Raspberries grow best in rich,well-drained soil.

3. Raspberries grow best in climates where the spring is lingering and slow to warm, but may succeed in warmer climates if the are grown in light shade.

4. A row or hill of raspberries will ordinarily produce good crops of fruit for 10 years or more, before they need to be replaced.

5. Raspberries should NOT be planted in where eggplants, peppers, potatoes or tomatoes have been grown within three years. They they are susceptible to disease associated with those plants. (Oops, the year we planted our raspberry bush it was right next to TWO tomato plants. It survived and is now too big to have anything else nearby.)

6. New plants should be planted in late fall or early spring and set into the soil 2 inches deeper than they were growing.

7. Newly planted summer bearing raspberries should be left alone for the first year to establish themselves. When buds begin to show the following spring, cut back to 3-5 canes per plant.

8. Raspberry plants should be fertilized in early spring with an all purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer.

9. Do NOT let raspberry plants dry out during flowering and fruiting.

10. In spring, shorten the canes to 3 feet and force the growth into lateral side branches along support wires. (I did not know this. It will make harvesting next year SO much easier.)

11. After a cane produces fruit it should be cut to the ground. The only exception is with the ever bearing raspberry. The second crop's canes should not be cut down as those will bear the next year's first crop of raspberries.

12. Never cut off the new canes which haven't produced yet, they will produce the next years crop. (I am guilty of this, but only it is the suckers that spout up where they shouldn't be. Bad canes...lol)

13. Raspberries are easily propagated by pinning the tip of the cane to the ground, where you want it to root. Once it is rooted, sever the new start from the parent plant. You can also propagate from the sucker growths which come up around the parent plant.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

As promised, here is an update on my fundraising. I have raised money through the ChipIn! in the right sidebar here, the official Danskin online link, a letter campaign, and pink paper ribbons at a local restaurant. My total as of this afternoon, is $582*.

I am THRILLED. The day I signed up I set $250 as my goal. I had never raised funds for an event such as this for myself and thought my original goal was almost out of reach. I kept the faith, kept working hard, and I did it!

I could not do it without you! I thank you for your support and generosity from the bottom of my heart!

*This total does not include any donations sent directly to the address on the donation form I included with the letter.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

I know it's not a fashion show, but I was a little worried about biking and running in a regular swimming suit with something else over the top. I found and ordered the solution. It arrived today, and I LOVE it!

It's an all in one suit! All I have to worry about after the swim is getting to my bike putting on my socks, shoes & helmet. I will also pull a shirt with my race number pinned to it over the top. Transition to the run will be park bike and remove helmet. Easy peasy!! :)

Erin & I headed out the lake for a .75 mile swim and 9 mile bike ride this morning. Since running is my weakest leg of the event, I will run twice this week. That's it for this week's training. My schedule calls for light training this week and next. The event is less than two weeks away! It's coming fast and I am so excited!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Those of you who know me and know that the NASCAR Busch Series & Craftsman Truck Series were in Milwaukee over the weekend might think I am going to tell you that's the track where I spent the Sunday! It's not! Bob & I spent the day at Arlington Park with some friends. It was a beautiful day & a GREAT time! Here's one of the horse we placed a very small wager on. This is after he ran.

If I remember correctly, this horse's name is Life's Lesson!

We didn't win! Don't bet on horses was our life lesson of the day...lol!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

My favorite summer treat is frozen custard. So in honor of the first day of summer, I bring you a list of my favorite frozen custard flavors. Even though some of the flavors are pretty self explanatory, I am including the description to tempt your taste buds! These descriptions come from the website of our favorite frozen custard stops. Visit culvers.com to see if there is one near you.

I haven't had any in so long because it is high in fat, calories, sugar, etc. All things bad...lol! I am pretty sure I will be having a small dish very shortly after the triathlon! ;)

ETA: Don't think gross when you read frozen custard! It is not the stuff used to fill donuts frozen...lol! The difference between frozen custard and ice cream is that frozen custard is made with the addition of eggs. It is slow-mixed rather than whipped with air like ice cream. Then it is frozen. The result is a thick creamy frozen treat you will love. It is also served at a higher temp than ice cream and you can really taste that rich creamy flavor.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Monday, June 18, 2007

Close up of planter in plant stand.I love the colors of this planter & the little white flowers smell SO good!Anyone know what they are?

Meadow sage in front yard!

Meadow sage & weigela in front yard.

I will be adding more to my flickr photos later. Right now a pretty wild storm is on it's way to our area. I will be logging off for a while. Probably so I can capture some cool storm cloud pictures. Yes, I'll be careful!

Friday, June 15, 2007

I had one of those moments today! A little over a year ago I got a new cell phone. A Razr (pink, of course). Until today I didn't know how to turn it to speaker phone. Bob called while I was in the grocery store, and I accidentally hit a button that put his call on speaker phone. I could not figure out how to turn it off. I thought when I disconnected the call it would, but no. I fiddled with it for a little bit, but ended up abandoning my cart to go outside to call him back. It was a short phone call and luckily no one took my cart thinking they had to put it away! I had to pull out my book to figure it out, but now that I know how it works I might actually use it! :)

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Back in May my TT prior to Mother's Day was quotes about moms and motherhood. I felt like I couldn't leave out dad so here's 13 quotes about fathers!

Thirteen Quotes about Fathers/Fatherhood

1. Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad. (Proverb)

2. Every father should remember that one day his son will follow his example instead of his advice. (Author Unknown or Proverb? I find it listed as both in my searches!)

3. By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong. (Charles Wadworth)

4. A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be. (Author Unknown)

5. The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. (Theodore Hesburgh)

6. One of life's greatest mysteries is how the boy who wasn't good enough to marry your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchild in the world. (Proberb)

7. My father was often angry when I was most like him. (Lillian Hellman) How true is this? The things Olivia does that frustrate me most are the ones I have done.

8. My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, "You're tearing up the grass"; "We're not raising grass," Dad would reply. "We're raising boys". (Harmon Killebrew) I love this one!

9. Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. (Bill Cosby)

10. A father is a banker provided by nature. (Proverb)

11. He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it. (Clarence Budington Kelland)

12. A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty. (Author Unknown)

13. There are three stages of a man's life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn't believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus. (Author Unknown)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Sunday morning my friend Erin & I met in the lot at a local McDonald's bright & early to set out for Lake Andrea (this is where the tri will take place)! There is lap swimming available in Lake Andrea each morning from 7 - 10. We decided to face this beast so we know what to expect on race day.

I cannot describe the anxiety we felt seeing that lake in person knowing we would have to swim across it, but not knowing what part we would have to swim. We thanked our lucky stars when the very helpful lady in the pool house knew. She also knew how many laps we had to swim to equal approximately the distance across between the points she showed us. It didn't look so bad.

We changed into our suits, headed to the sand. Put our toes in the water, it was cold. Walked in a little further, it was cold and there is squishy green stuff under our feet. We walked a tiny bit more, it was cold! Count of three, we're going under. This isn't so bad!! We swim the short distance to the lane markers. The lane was approximately 180 meters. We swim one and the whole time we are thinking what did we get ourselves into? LOL! The next lap was even better. We swam six laps! That was just over 1180 yards. We only need to swim 880 in the event. We think we can do this.

Sunday morning we are following the same plan, but we are going to bring our bikes along and ride after our swim. Anyone care to join us? ;)

Next time I say "whew" remind me not to! I thought things would get back to normal around here after that. Well, needless to say they did not! (Jenny was right!)

Friday after Bob got home from work we were all on the second floor of our house. There are two bedrooms, the den (really a bedroom), the line closet and a full bath. I went downstairs to move a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer, but stopped at the counter in the kitchen when I noticed water on the counter. It wasn't a big puddle. More like someone had accidentally sprayed the counter with the sprayer from the sink. While trying to figure it out where it came from I feel water drip on me. I look up to see the paint on the ceiling bubbled and water running out!

It turned out to be the beeswax ring around the toilet upstairs. It only leaked when flushed so I shut off the water and put it out of commission for the night. The next morning I went to the hardware store for the items I need need. Replaced the ring, put the toilet back on. Later that night the toilet was leaking again, but just on to the floor next to it this time. Thank goodness it wasn't to the kitchen again. So I took the toilet apart for the second time in as many days. The toilet flange (a drain pipe fitting that allows you to securely connect a toilet to the actual piping) was broken. I don't have the strength or tools to fix that. So it was plumber time! I spent today waiting for him to show and had the privilege of handing him nearly $400. Better than the approximate $550 the first guy estimated over the phone.

Thanks to the leak on Friday night, I have to move paint the ceiling of the first floor up on my to do list. There aren't any headers over the doorways to the rooms on there so I have to paint the entire ceiling! I am thankful that the water mark left is above a cabinet and not very noticeable. It dried fine and won't need much repair other than a tiny bit of spackle , a coat of primer and paint!

Friday, June 08, 2007

While grocery shopping a few weeks ago, I picked up Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Triscuits. Today, I had my first taste of them! Oh my, they are SO good and pretty good for me too. As long as I don't eat the whole box...lol! I didn't! *snicker* I topped them with Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss Cheese! It was a nice treat for my morning snack! :)

Thursday, June 07, 2007

My 86-year-old grandmother was diagnosed with osteoporosis about two weeks ago. She met with her doctor yesterday and will be taking a once monthly osteoporosis pill along with doubling her dosage of calcium/vitamin D.

She is the type of woman who sweats the small stuff. Complains about her health when she should really be thankful because is in really good health -- especially for an 86 year old! There are many, many people far younger deal with much more than she ever has. She is freaking out about having to take a pill and already worrying out which side effect she is going to have. (For those who don't know she reads every letter of print that comes with a medication and every time says she has one of the side effects about 12 hours after taking the new pill.)

To help her understand her diagnosis I have been doing a some reading on osteoporosis. I thought I would share some of the risk factors for those who may not know them. Some I knew. Some I did not.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Today was one of those days when your to do list seems longer than the hours in the day. Thankfully, most of the things on this list today were finished quickly. It feels good to cross seven things off my list today!

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

The last ten days or so have I have been so busy they have just flown by! I think my schedule will return to "normal" for a bit before Olivia is done with school. She has 5 real (I use that term loosely this time of year) school days, one day long trip to Six Flags, and a half day left. I can't believe next year is high school!

I will be glad to be back to blogging. I have missed reading many of my favorite blogs during this busy time and look forward to getting back to you all!

Monday, June 04, 2007

A Cessna Citation aircraft went down in Lake Michigan about 20 minutes from our house today -- only a short walk from my mom & step-dad's house. The FAA said it lost contact with the plane at about 4 PM. There isn't any word yet of how many on board.

Since my step-dad flies a small plane, I always worry when I hear about these small planes going down. My prayers & thoughts go out to the families of those on board!

Editing to update: They are saying may have been a medical transport plane carrying transplant organs. There were six on board.